What would you do if you found a co-worker stealing product or money?
Stealing product or money from your employer is a serious offense. Theft of any kind hurts the company. Barnes and Noble wants to avoid hiring employees who may steal from their company, but they also want employees who will do what they can to prevent theft.
Assure the interviewer that you do not tolerate theft or dishonesty. In nearly every situation, the best course of action when discovering that a coworker is stealing from the company is to report the incident to a supervisor or manager.
"As an associate, if I discovered a coworker stealing, I would report it to my manager. While I don't condone theft of any kind, it isn't my place to confront the employee in this situation. That way, the manager can handle it according to the company's protocol, and the situation wouldn't get personal."
"I once had a coworker who asked me to help him steal, and it was so uncomfortable! I would never steal something for any reason, so it was easy to say no to him. Even though it was hard to tell my manager and know that my coworker would likely be terminated, I knew I had to do the right thing. What is the process for those kinds of situations at Barnes and Noble?"
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
If this were to happen, I would confront them in person, and try and get them to confess. If that didn't work, I would report them to my supervisor.
Marcie's Feedback
Your answer is good, but you might want to mention that to start you'll take your time observing and gathering information to make sure you don't accuse anyone unnecessarily. Then when you talk to them in person about it, you'll make sure to do so privately and nonjudgmentally. If they refuse to confess, going to your supervisor would definitely be the best next step. Nice job! Don't forget to emphasize to the interviewer that you are honest and will always strive to do the right thing.
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